HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DECEMBER 2025 EDITION OF “THE RUNDOWN”
In the December 2025 edition of “The Rundown”, Roane County Executive Wade Creswell highlighted several positive developments, including a clean FY2025 audit with no findings across relevant departments, as reported by the state Comptroller’s Office.
Assessor of Property Molly Hartup was congratulated for receiving the 2025 Assessor of the Year award from the Tennessee Association of Assessing Officers, recognizing her team’s effective handling of the challenging reappraisal of over 37,000 parcels.
A major boost came from the Department of Energy’s recent announcement of a $400 million grant to the Tennessee Valley Authority for advancing the nation’s first small modular nuclear reactor at the Clinch River Site, with anticipation building for a new TVA Board of Directors confirmation. Locally, the Parks & Recreation team was praised for cost-saving projects, such as building a new parking lot near the old jail to add 30–50 spaces and ease courthouse congestion.
New Building Official Reggie Hucks has quickly contributed by teaching at a regional codes conference, while registration opened for the upcoming TCSA County Government Day event.
Progress on nuclear-related industrial projects in the area remains strong: Triso-X is completing foundation work and site preparation for expansion; BWXT is finishing its rapid-construction enrichment components facility with job postings underway; Kairos Power has finished exterior work on its Engineering Test Unit and is advancing foundations for the Hermes I reactor, expected to supply power to the grid by 2027 via a TVA agreement, with Hermes II to follow; and property transfers for Orano, Oklo, and Radiant projects are on track or nearing completion.
Additionally, county records management saw upgrades with a new secure RAID storage system, replacement of outdated filing cabinets prioritizing sensitive files, completion of records inventory and shredding, new shelving installations, and a grant application for improved oversized document storage.
